I am not selling road-apples to my fellow appraisers… Appraisers as a group DO NOT PAY ATTENTION to what is going on within the profession OR seemingly unrelated areas that affect the profession. FNMA & Freddie ALREADY HAVE authority to fund loans without appraisals. This is in anticipation of an appraiser shortage. AI has appointed itself the ‘voice of all appraisers’ in America. They actually made the statement at the California TAF meeting in June that they speak for all appraisers interests AND that they put those interests of the entire profession above their own. (source-live meeting; TAF/ASB Redondo Beach...
Help Wanted – Day Laborers Needed …. Inquire at any AMC The Dodd Frank act requires the lender to be responsible for their agents. This means the lender is responsible for the actions of the AMC. Do the lenders know what their AMC’S are doing? Probably not. The Dodd Frank act also requires the most qualified appraiser be selected for each and every assignment. What vetting is done by the AMC’S to ensure the most qualified Appraiser is selected? Many AMC’S have the false mentality every appraiser is qualified and competent to appraise every piece of real estate. This simply...
CUSTOMARY AND REASONABLE FEES When Dodd Frank was passed a few years ago there was much discussion as to what it actually meant to lenders, appraisers, and AMCs. AMCs were quick and forceful in their definition. It was the fee they could coerce an appraiser into accepting. That was their definition. This has been a big impact on the well-being of an honorable profession. In June the Federal Final Rules were released, and they took effect in September of this year. These Final Rules clarified many questions regarding lending, appraising, and AMC involvement. First, the Feds have made it very clear that lenders...
Fate of Unlicensed AMC’s in Virginia – All Eyes on VREAB Meeting The Virginia Real Estate Appraisal Board meeting on August 18th, 2015 will be historic and will set a precedent, not just for Virginia, but for the entire country. The fate of unlicensed Appraisal Management Companies (AMC’s) in VA will be decided. Other State Appraisal Boards, Appraisal groups, and AMC’S are watching this meeting and waiting on the outcome. Check out the agenda for the meeting on the town hall website. There are some well known AMC’S on this list! The meeting will be August 18th, 2015 @ 10:00...
Appraisal Management Companies (AMC) are changing how our profession works. It’s important to know exactly how they are affecting the real estate process, especially if you are a home-owner, looking for real estate or are involved in another part of the property. Who does an Appraiser work for? An appraiser works for “The Client” named in the report who ultimately responsible for the appraiser’s compensation. It is important to realize that while a borrower may have paid a lender or third party the cost of the appraisal, “The client” remains the only party authorized to use the report. The appraiser...
Disclosures regarding payments for appraisal management services versus appraisal fees On July 1, 2015, the Network of State Appraiser Organizations (NSAO) submitted a joint letter in response to the CFPB request for comments on the proposed amendment to the “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule, which proposes to move the rule’s effective date to October 3, 2015. It specifically addresses the lack of requirement to mandate disclosure to the consumer that the fee paid for an “appraisal” be clearly defined and break down what portion is being paid to the lenders’ third party appraisal management company and which portion of the fee is...
Relationships, we all have them. And despite the efforts of Dodd Frank to destroy them, we have somehow managed to keep them. A big bank that I had a great relationship dropped me because their portal system decided there were too many appraisers last year and left me hanging. No orders for a year. Now they’re busy and want me to do appraisals. Great! But between the portal fees, underwriting charges, title surpluses, software charges, destination charges, taxes, etc. the fee works out to be substantially lower than most work I have. They asked me “don’t you value our relationship?”. I replied where...
The Appraisal Foundation Resisting Change The Appraisal Foundation sent out a correspondence stating the Appraisal Institute is undermining their authority. This was very one sided and off the mark. Everything changes. The appraisal business is changing. AI is staying on the fore front of this change. The Appraisal Foundation is resisting change. The Appraisal Foundation policies are chocking the appraisal industry. It is next to impossible to bring on new people. As a result the number of appraisers across the country in 2007 were 120,000 +/-. Today its about 70,000. The industry is changing and so must the policies. AI does not want to go back...
Seems like everyone hates AMC’s and scope creep. Scope Creep!! I ordered a sub at a sub shop. I love tomatoes! So I asked for extra tomatoes. I was charged. I took my car in for inspection. I told the mechanic since my car was up in the air and the tires were off to rotate the tires. I was charged. BUT, the tires were off. The cook’s hand was in the tomatoes. WHAT’s up? I was asked for two listings. I wanted to charge. I did a restricted report on an office building (sales comp approach only). The client called and wanted a cap rate, then an expense ratio. They refused...
How do we move to be more of a Red Box? I stopped at a Sheetz to get gas. As I was standing there I noticed a Red Box Machine which had a steady flow of traffic. Next door was an old closed Block Buster Video. Hmm… When my kids were little it was a big treat to go to that Block Buster and rent a movie. We had to wait in line 5 to 10 minutes and now it’s closed. But the Red Box machine is steadily pumping out DVDs. So I got to thinking. What are appraisers? Are we...
